Tell us about your best tube score(s)
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ekmanning5
Time has told me...
Couple of years ago I went to a church rummage sale. Picked up the usual; a few records and a book or two. Nothing else caught my eye. Paid and put the stuff in the car and decided to go back in and take one more look. Hidden behind a stack of VHS tapes was an Eico HF-81 and an Olsen tuner. Price $1 each. Got them home and they worked fine. Used them that way for about a year and then got a NOSValves refurb for the Eico.
I've found good stuff on the curb like...
The Best: a vintage Heathkit system with a single huge SS1 and SS1B speaker set, a W-5M amp with one Genelex KT66 and the matching WA-P2 preamp.
Runners up: A Fisher X-101 amp full of Telefunken 12AX7s, and lasrly a friend found a box of tubes on the curb with a NIB Western Electric 274A in it.
The Best: a vintage Heathkit system with a single huge SS1 and SS1B speaker set, a W-5M amp with one Genelex KT66 and the matching WA-P2 preamp.
Runners up: A Fisher X-101 amp full of Telefunken 12AX7s, and lasrly a friend found a box of tubes on the curb with a NIB Western Electric 274A in it.
maxhifi
Addicted Member
Awesome find! Did you ever find a partner for it? I've got a single W5M and WA-P2 waiting for the day I find another.
my stromberg carlson asr-120 garage stereo i found at my neighbor's. it was next to his garage outside(rain/snow/...). his buddy moved and gave it to him. he gave it to me. most of the tubes are stromberg carlson branded.
i've used this as my garage stereo for 10+years (built a couple of cars, ...). If I'm not using the FM, I'm using an old cell phone to stream music to the phono input.
I'm sure I have other gems or better scores but this one gets used all the time and didn't end up getting tossed.
i've used this as my garage stereo for 10+years (built a couple of cars, ...). If I'm not using the FM, I'm using an old cell phone to stream music to the phono input.
I'm sure I have other gems or better scores but this one gets used all the time and didn't end up getting tossed.
I bought one of those on eBay back before prices of tube gear shot up. The cost was less than $50, including shipping (which also used to be much cheaper). I initially tossed the tuner chassis and used the two best Stromberg 7408 output tubes in a dual-mono SEP project. That was my main living room amp for many years. Then, last year, I stripped the chassis, put the output transformers on the shelf for future projects, and transplanted the power transformer into a 2X EL34 guitar amplifier project (36W Marshall-ish). This turned out to be one of the best investments I've ever made in a "parts" unit.
Jack
One of my best deals happened about 20 years ago when a coworker advertised some "old tube gear" on the company bulletin board. He was moving out of state and didn't want to take it. For $20 I bought a box of radio station pulls that included a good number of like-new 211 triodes. For another $20, he sold me a Harman Kardon A50K (A500) integrated amp in working condition. I sold all my SS amplifiers after listening to that amp for 15 minutes.
More recently, I bought a small lot of tubes on the auction site for less than $20, including shipping. I was the only bidder. I only wanted the 6J6 and 6C4 tubes, which I use as phase inverters. Most of the other tubes couldn't even be identified in the photos. It turned out that the lot also contained a sleeve of 6V4/EC80 and a sleeve + of 6BW4, apparently worth about $150 at auction prices. Both types will be useful in future projects that need ~100mA rectifiers.
Jack
More recently, I bought a small lot of tubes on the auction site for less than $20, including shipping. I was the only bidder. I only wanted the 6J6 and 6C4 tubes, which I use as phase inverters. Most of the other tubes couldn't even be identified in the photos. It turned out that the lot also contained a sleeve of 6V4/EC80 and a sleeve + of 6BW4, apparently worth about $150 at auction prices. Both types will be useful in future projects that need ~100mA rectifiers.
Jack
s-petersen
Scott
I have so many awesome things over the years, Free Fairchild 260 pair of amps(10 years ago), B-TH A1A EL=34 amps and stereo preamp for $40(early 80's), 2 MC75's for $150 in repair work on a dirt bike(1979). a mint MC240 and a parts C20 for $800(a few years ago), a rusty(working) Mc240 for $100 1(990's)Many Fisher and Scott Receivers for $20-40 (in the 80's) 2 mint Dynaco Mark 3's for $50 each(2010). I think the dates are a little important, because of inflation, and the fact that in the 70's and 80's the stuff wasn't the deal it is today, there was little collector interest in those days.I also trashed many pieces that I would have saved now, several Scott receivers with a bad transformer, in otherwise perfect condition for instance, now with the internet, Parts are easier to get, and they would have been saved.
jqp
Well-Known Member
Was at an estate sale and there was a very long Electrohome console priced at $50. Went back on the last day and there was a tag stating "not for sale". I asked if it was sold and they said no, because someone turned it on and it started smoking so it will be tossed in the dumpster. I asked if I could harvest the components and they said okay. Nice Electrohome tube receiver and Garrard type A turntable. Smoke was from a high wattage resistor that burned. Also was given Voice of Music 722 reel to reel (plays 2 track stereo) with matching auxiliary speakers with their own tube amps. Many other console pulls from Magnavox, Madison Fielding (with Bugle Boy tubes), Stromberg Carlson and Fisher. All have been restored a work great!
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pete1729
Super Member
I saw an ad on Craigslist the summer before last. Card table piled with stereo gear, $150 for all of it. By the time I got there, he had sold the Marantz quad receiver for a price that satisfied his expectations for the whole lot. He said I could just have what was left. I insisted that I pay something. I got a Marantz Model 7 and Model 8B and a pile of other stuff for $50.
The Model 7 had all GE 12ax7's from 1968. The 8B had original Mullard Blackburn EL34's. The Viking R2R had six Telefunken branded Siemens 12ax7's. There was a TD-124 as part of the deal too.
It was like Odin had made me a hot fudge sundae with toasted pecans on it and gave me a bottle of Blantons to take home.
The Model 7 had all GE 12ax7's from 1968. The 8B had original Mullard Blackburn EL34's. The Viking R2R had six Telefunken branded Siemens 12ax7's. There was a TD-124 as part of the deal too.
It was like Odin had made me a hot fudge sundae with toasted pecans on it and gave me a bottle of Blantons to take home.
Dorkelstein
Super Member
Ok, I'll chime in. Back in early to mid 2000s I was still able to find some good tubes for ok money. I had a source for NOS JAN/Sylvania 6L6WGB at what's now unheard of. The Last of production stock from their PA. plant. Fantastic tube for vintage Fender amps. Another was the time I found a cache of 12AX7 branded "Electronics for Medicine". Sneaky little Bugle Boys trying to discguise themselves. All tested like new. I guess medical equipment didn't run them hard.
The thread speaks for itself, quite a find!
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...-mono-blocks-and-model-7-preamp.855511/page-5
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...-mono-blocks-and-model-7-preamp.855511/page-5
if theres a winner…
I hate you.
Eh...a lot of this stuff wasn't made in huge numbers anyway.
s-petersen
Scott
Once I picked up several Mac pieces from a friends house (picker) I got them $50 -100 each, and he said he brought them to the fleamarket 20 years previous, and they didn't sell for $20, and he couldn't see throwing them out, so he put them in his attic. I'm glad of all of the stuff I saved from the landfill.
I bought a stack of stuff while working for Sears, (I got to see many garages then) the stack was a pair of AR3's an Eico ST-84 preamp and a Knight KT-550 amp (with cage) for $100
I bought a stack of stuff while working for Sears, (I got to see many garages then) the stack was a pair of AR3's an Eico ST-84 preamp and a Knight KT-550 amp (with cage) for $100